domingo, 6 de julho de 2008

This past week I placed two posts on a video on Zuruahá infanticide. They were written in Portuguese. Some of you who read them or had them translated left several comments. By the gist of them I feel that some missed the point of my comments, and that is why I am posting this notice to clarify things.

To begin with, my posts on the video did not concern my anthropological and humanistic views on infanticide among the Zuruahá or among other Indian cultures in Brazil. That view I did not express in the posts in any way.

My main concern was with a video that uses children to perform an act that is by all means condemnable and that may constitute an indictment on the Zuruahá. Furthermore, the act was purposely intended to provoke disgust and horror on other people, as it indeed provoked.

This sort of thing is unacceptable in Brazil. Those means do not justify the ends, whatever they might be. I dare say it is unacceptable as well in the United States, Canada, England, India, Sweeden, and any country that keeps a standard of respect and protection of children.

The video was made with an aesthetics of horror and curse movies, and it appeals to base emotions and feelings, not to elevated sentiments of love and charity, as Christians ought to feel and behave.

My anthropological background tells me to respect other cultures´s practices and values. Most anthropologists follow this attitude. Nevertheless, in many instances, an anthropologist has to take upon himself to transcend his profession and take attitudes that go beyond it. I believe that is the case with infanticide, with terrorism, with violence in general, and with other important human issues. In all cases, I take a stand against a relativistic attitude.

Over the years many Indian cultures in Brazil stopped the practice of infanticide, and for many different reasons. Some of them did it spontaneously, others were helped by missionaries and mostly by Funai (National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples) civil servants. In all cases, the practice was abandoned by persuasion in view of a close relationship between the people who practiced it and the people who helped them. A relationship of charity, self-abandonment, and love. Most of the cases were achieved without any show of media, self-serving attitudes, and self-righteousness.

This statement is intended to clarify only my comments on the Zuruahá video. It is not intended to cover the issue of infanticide and the actions that ought to be done to help people abandon it. That would take more human resources than I can dare imagine. In any case, it could never be done without pulling together the resources of the Brazilian state, through the Ministry of Justice, the National Foundation for Indigenous People (Funai), the National Health Foundations (Funasa), the General Attorney Office, the Public Ministry, clergy of all denominations -- and especially the indigenous peoples concerned. Who would be able to lead this task, I don´t know. In any case, it is being done in many indigenous areas by the attitude of love and respect of people, and through modest and simple demeanor.

Finally, I am sorry to say but this statement does not intend to be an engagement in a strict dialogue with those that have defended the Zuruahá video and the Jocum organization. It is probable that that organization shall be sued by the Brazilian government for exposing such a video and for making it without proper authorization. For those who want to know about Brazilian Indian legislation, interethnic relations, and history, I immodestly recommend my book The Indians and Brazil (Gainesville: UPF, 2000) It might also be possible that the American Anthropological Association will issue a statement regarding the unethical character of the mentioned video.

Those who wish to use my statement to pick out phrases to attack me might as well as lay their pen to rest. I shan´t give them the benefit of my response.

14 comentários:

I am afraid that Mr Mercio has missed the point of hundreds of comments in Brazilian Portuguese and English that are against the crime of infanticide and do approve the actions, including the film www.hakani.org , to stop this and to save innocent children lives. A crime was denounced but Mr Mercio gives more importance and priority to mobilize everything he can to prohibit the exhibition of the film, to prosecute the film makers. The few anonymous supporters of Mr Mercio showed a strong prejudice against Christian missionaries, totally against the Brazilian Law and International Human Rights Declaration. Brazilian Indian Policy is from the times of a Totalitary State - Many old fashioned anthropologists consider that indigenous people are their exclusive property, they do not consider them human beings with full citizenship rights, they want to keep isolated indians tribes in the wild for their exclusive access as a group of wild animals in danger of extintion. This blog in English has a commercial purpose, to sell his book. Mr Mercio has shown no mercy for the assassinated children. Mr Mercio has been merciless against those that have been saving disabled, abandoned children. May God have mercy on Mr Mercio and give him a humble and merciful heart.

Any question: in europe have some indians too? You lived so much time there while you'r whas Funai's president...shuayshuahysyahyahayhsyahahas cuisp cuisp... I know hershameless antropologist, only think in self benefit.

Mr. Mercio,With respect to your statement, "My main concern was with a video that uses children to perform an act that is by all means condemnable and that may constitute an indictment on the Zuruahá." I find it hard to believe that you are so gullible that you think the children were actually harmed in making this film. Do you think PITA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals) should mount an assault on Steven Speilberg for his attrocities against that poor shark in Jaws? What of all the innocent Jews he murdered to make Schilndler's List. If you really want to attack someone, I respectfully suggest you focus on the big offenders like Speilberg. And to address your complaint about the "indictment on the Zuruahá," did you happen to notice that all the actors were tribal people and that they were the ones speaking out in the documentary portion against the practice of infanticide. Would it blow your mind if I told you the girl on whose life the movie is based is Zuruahá. The heroes and victims of the story are Zuruahá as well as the villains. I look at that movie and see the courage of Bibi, to go against his tribe and family to save his sister, and think these people have a kind strength rarely seen in our culture. The negative Zuruahá characters are far outweighed by the positive.Also, you claim not to express an opinion about the practice of infanticide, yet you very cleary express an opinion about filming a staged reinactment of the practice, where camera tricks and syrup replace torture and blood. "This sort of thing is unacceptable in Brazil. Those means do not justify the ends, whatever they might be. I dare say it is unacceptable as well in the United States, Canada, England, India, Sweeden, and any country that keeps a standard of respect and protection of children."Well, Mr. Mercio, I couldn't have put it better myself. I only wish you would judge the actual act of killing children as reprehensible as pretending to.

Wow... I find it interesting that you seem to find it reprehensible that a film using willing actors portraying a real-life situation is horrific! Hmm.. guess you havent spent much time watching movies lately.. With all your studies of past and present cultures, one would think that you would applaud the accurate cultural representation shown in the movie. Hmmmmm could it be that you and your closed minded views are a part of your closed culture?

As far as I know, all of the actors were willing to take part in the drama, they were (according to the site hakani.org) survivors of infanticide or people who had saved someone from it.

What my quarrel is, is that the practice of infanticide is clearly against the International Human Rights as stated by the UN, of which, Brazil, is a signatory country, and thus must comply to these rules.

Think of this analogy. A man from a tribe is raping young pre-adolescent boys. Would the Brazilian government intervene then? What about if the whole tribe were abusing babies. This is a question that goes a long way beyond cultural-relativism and tradition.

I am sure, without a doubt, that the Brazilian government would imprison any, and all paedophile groups if they were to know of them. Child abuse is a terrible thing, everyone can agree on this. It cannot be called "cultural", not here, and not in any country that is a signatory of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

Infanticide is worse than child abuse, and so why is it still allowed in Brazilian territory?

Dear non-Portuguese speakers, there is some light in the middle of all this evil darkness efforts to keep innocent and defenseless indian children at the will of merciless people - The Brazilian Congress will vote a specific law, known as MUWAJI´s LAW ( LEI MUWAJI ) that points that it is CRIME to omit, to not take action in cases of indian children in danger, and this includes even FUNAI and FUNASA staff that were under evil command that was hindering them to effectively protect the children lives. Once approved the law will give the good the legal coverage they need to proactively act to do the right thing.

You criticize the video Hakani and their producers looking for some publicitity.

But, as this case is very important to the brazilian society, and I think you did not know this before your post, the truth came out: can the people in Brazil have acess to the information about the indian infanticide? Can the brazilizian citizens to decide what they have to do, after the knowledge about the facts? The video Hakani is a very important part of this discussion, that includes the main interested: the indians. Absolutely this is not a media show! Remember: the survivers were the actors.

We need to take position about this situation, including to require Funai to help indians children in danger. Or maybe there is no more children survivers in the future.

In response to yur blog regarding the Hakani video: surely you don't mean to imply that the people who made that video, whoever they are, had an ulterior motive for doing so, and that using the children as actors was so harmful to them it is criminal. If one child is saved from that horrifying fate, I would let my children act in a thousand such videos. Please, imagine your own precious child buried ALIVE. Obviously there are many within the tribes who want the practice stopped. Pass the necessary legislation, and be grateful that the producers cared enough for these children to make this movie, I'm sure at their own expense and great personal risk. People like that are the ones that get things done, instead of just "spinning" the issue, as we say in America. Thank you for your kind attention tho this issue.

Dear Mr. Mercio, thank you for creating a forum for people to respond to the Hakini film. Every human life has equal value. If we continue to approve of such behaviors and traditions of culture, we are giving permission to the world to commit murderous crimes and be defended by their culture. Please pass the Bill.

With all due respect, I would like to respond to several of your comments.

1. If Hakani’s appeal at the end of the film does not appeal to “elevated sentiments of love and charity, as Christians ought to feel and behave”, then I don’t know what would. Did you really watch the whole film?

2. As I understand it, the couple who adopted Hakani, legally, waited for 5 years, enduring all kinds of unreasonable opposition from FUNAI and others, before their appeal was heard. They have rarely been treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. They have exhibited anything but a self-serving attitude all through the many trials and unreasonable opposition. They have never exhibited self-righteousness or fanaticism. There are many congressional records which prove this. No one is denying that many other people, FUNAI workers included, have tried to intervene in different ways, to avert cases of infanticide. The fact that many Indigenous parents are now seeking alternatives and looking for support, should alert the FUNAI, FUNASA and others to do all they can to support those who are supporting the indigenous people in their own struggles against a custom they no longer wish to observe. It is hard to understand why there is criticism of any who are seeking to support the indigenous people. Why not partner with them? Why not work together to make Brazilians and the world proud of Brazil’s response to indigenous concerns?

You say you are not seeking to engage in a strict dialogue with those who have defended the video and Jocum. It is disappointing that you are not willing to dialogue, not only in the blog but face to face. It is an oft-repeated error to judge all members of an organization by the organizational label. That happens to members of FUNAI as it does to members of ONGs and religious missions. It is time for everyone to discover the people behind the many labels. We can only find the truth by seeking for it.

I have made the Zuruaha video a central piece in my recent study and have found it to be discriminatory of Indigenous peoples. I would love it if any one involved or interested in the "Muwaji Law" would view my study before they made a decision regarding the video. http://culturecoldwar.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Mercio´s Blog: Indians, Anthropology, Culture

Dear English-reading Visitors. This Blog concerns with indigenous (particularly Brazilian), anthropological, and cultural issues. Posts are about news, books, articles, and discussions that are going on in indigenous and academic circles. The posts are written in Portuguese, however, if you want to participate you can contact me and ask for clarification about any blog post or article.

If you want to know something about me, please see my biography in Wikipedia. I am a cultural anthropologist, a university professor in Rio de Janeiro, author of several books on Brazilian Indians and one co-authored book concerning environmental degradation in Holland. I was President of the Brazilian Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) for three and half years (Sept 2003-Mar 2007) and was responsible for the demarcation of 66 indigenous territories that amounted to some 110,000 square km of land.

Brazil has 235 self-identified indigenous peoples with about 650,000 individuals speaking 170 distinct languages (though about 20 are in danger of becoming extinct). There are around 665 officially recognized indigenous lands, 480 of them demarcated while the rest are in several phases of the process. The largest Indian Lands are in the Amazon, and they all amount to about 1,100,000 square km or 13% of the Brazilian territory.